Tag: Bodybuilding
Talking Huge With Craig Golias | EP 22: How To Get Rich In Bodybuilding & Social Media
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Craig Golias goes in-depth about how to make money as a bodybuilding influencer.
Welcome to another episode of Talking Huge – a weekly digital series in which Craig Golias talks in-depth with Vlad Yudin on the latest trending topics in bodybuilding. Raw, honest, and uncut – Craig Golias shares his opinions on all things bodybuilding. In this episode, Craig Golias goes into great detail about how he found financial success as a bodybuilding influencer. He also shares key tips for aspiring bodybuilders on how to make a living using social media.
Craig Golias is known for being HUGE but he’s not a competitive bodybuilder. While he did compete for a brief stint earlier in his life, Craig’s success now comes through his own brand and sponsorships. This is a far cry from what was possible in bodybuilding just a few decades ago. Social media has allowed individuals to build their own businesses using their own platform.
But this is easier said than done. In order to make enough money for a living, you need to have a loyal and large fan base. This is where the work comes in. Becoming a successful social media influencer is a skill unto itself. With millions of people wanting to get insta famous – what are the key tactics for standing out among the crowd?
For Craig Golias, he focused on getting as huge as possible. He then fused that with his sense of humor to make a name for himself. But the road to success took time – and he admits it has only been over the past 2-3 years that he started truly living solely off of his own brand alone. Now through that experience – Craig opens up about the do’s and don’ts of becoming a successful (and lucrative) bodybuilding influencer. Let’s jump into it.
Always Build A Loyal Following First
Craig Golias stresses the importance on building an organic and loyal following first before selling anything via your own channels. The reason people enjoy using social media is to feel as though they are getting to know the personal life of a larger than life figure. For Craig, not only did he post pictures of his massive physique – but he showed his personality and his personal life. By doing so – the fans who may have only stopped first to see his unrealistically massive body stuck around because they felt a connection to his character.
Over time, this not only helps build followers in general. It also helps build loyal and dedicated followers. These are people who genuinely enjoy your content and feel a connection to your personality. Once that kind of loyalty is built among enough people – then you can start building your brand with sponsorships or selling directly to your fanbase.
Make Sure Your Sponsorships & Products Fit Your Brand
Once you have a loyal following – it’s important to respect that following with what you are selling. If it appears obvious you are just shoving random products down their throats, people will start unfollowing. Ensure that you believe in what you are sponsoring. Or if you are selling a direct product of your own – make it true to yourself and part of how you want to connect to the audience rather than a cold promo.
For example, Craig Golias over time built a catchphrase “SAAAP!” that he would use in many of his videos. This was just an organic part of his personality that caught on. So he turned it into a t-shirt. His fans love his catch phrase and are more than willing to own something like that. The same goes for Craig’s training programs. He has a massive body and wants to provide a service. So promoting his training and coaching feels genuine and not like a bait and switch.
Always Be Posting
Craig Golias also stresses the importance of always posting and engaging on social media. Make sure to always use Instagram stories, or Tik Tok, or typical wall posts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Your social media platforms are your business. It’s your direct connection to your audience. Even when you aren’t selling something. Post every day. Reinvent what and how you post. Keep things fresh. This is vital to maintaining your business.
For example, Craig Golias often gets up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. He always uses this as an opportunity to post something on socials. Even if it’s a throwback. He’s away at an odd hour of the day. He can reach different fans across the globe at this time. He’s awake – so why not? That’s kind of mentality keeps him engaged – and keeps his audience engaged.
Wrap Up
You can check out the full conversation in the latest episode of Talking Huge above. Craig Golias goes into far more detail about his biggest tips and biggest mistakes through his social media journey. You can use these to help avoid the same mistakes and perhaps shorten your journey to personal brand success. Make sure to check out Talking Huge every week on Friday – only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network!
How To Reduce Your Waist Size Without Doing Ab Exercises
Reduce Your Waist Size With This One Trick
Let’s face it; many people get a gym membership to lose weight and to fit into smaller clothes. Following the advice of the broscientists, these people spend most of their time on the cardio equipment. Since you’re reading this article, chances are you’re one of them.
It isn’t long before they lose the motivation and return to their old ways. They blame their genetics for their inability to lose the excess body fat. The ‘too busy to workout’ excuse follows.
The others don’t like spending their time on the dreaded treadmill or doing crunches. Hardly do they know, it’s not their genetics. It’s the lack of knowledge which makes them quit working out altogether.
Changes In Bodybuilding In The Recent Eras
Have you wondered how bodybuilders in the golden era had small waists even when there was no fancy electronic cardio equipment? They used techniques which are long forgotten but were way more efficient than the ones employed by the pros now.
Unlike the bodybuilders today, the golden era bodybuilder focused primarily on symmetry and maintaining a narrow and tight midsection. Most of the current pro bodybuilders focus on getting big and turning into mass monsters.
The Vacuum Pose
If you haven’t heard of this, you’re already missing out. Frank Zane brought this technique into the mainstream by performing this pose on the stage. Before him, the athletes usually performed this pose in the gym as an exercise.
In this pose, you have to suck in your stomach to your spine to make it look like it has completely disappeared. When you hit the vacuum pose, you’re contracting your transverse abdominis (TVA).
The TVA runs across your waist just like a weight belt. It works like a weight belt in your daily operation. You can only perform this kind of thing with your belly.
TVA lies under the rectus abdominis and obliques and is one of the deepest abdominal muscles. Unlike most other muscles, it doesn’t connect to or move bones closer together. Many of TVA’s fibers don’t attach to the bone at all.
You need to take baby steps when it comes to performing this exercise. It will also need a lot of patience and persistence if you have never tried hitting this pose before.
There are four steps to mastering this exercise. In this article, we will take you through each step assuming you’ve never tried this exercise at this point. Each step will be harder than the previous one.
Don’t get intimidated by the four steps; you need to take one step at a time. Once you master one level the next will be relatively easy to perform and will be more efficient than the previous step in achieving your goal of a narrow waist.
Supine Vacuum
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This is the first step in performing the vacuum. It’s also the easiest way to suck in your stomach since the gravity will be your friend in this exercise. Confused? Let us explain.
Lie on your back with your knees bent, so your feet are touching the floor. This will help you isolate and focus on your abdominal. Once you’ve assumed this position, exhale all the air you can. This will raise your diaphragm and shrink your stomach.
This is where your TVA will have the maximum contraction, and you’ll be able to hit the vacuum pose. In the beginning, you might be unable to see or feel the vacuum, but it will come with time.
Hold your breath and perform this exercise for 15 seconds in the beginning. As you get better with time, increase the contraction time to 60 seconds. Take small breaths in between if you’re unable to hold your breath.
Quadruped Vacuum
Once you’re confident with your abilities at the supine vacuum and can perform it at will with no problems, it is time to the move on to the quadruped vacuum. If you’re performing each variation every day, it should take you a couple of weeks at most to perform them optimally.
The quadruped vacuum is called so because you perform them while having four touch points with the ground. In this exercise, you’ll be working against the gravity, and this makes this exercise harder than the previous variation.
Begin in a knee push up position so your shoulders are vertically over your elbows and your wrists and hips are over your knees. Follow the same steps as in the supine vacuum; exhale and suck in your abdominal.
This exercise is harder than the supine vacuum. So, if you were doing 60 seconds on the supine version, you should start with 30 seconds and work up to the 60 seconds mark.
Seated Vacuum
We know what you’re thinking. Isn’t the anti-gravitational version harder than the sitting on your ass version? No, it’s not because many stabilizing muscles come into play while performing this exercise.
Sit on a stable surface without leaning on to anything. Taking the support of a wall or any other surface will reduce the effectiveness of this exercise.
Exhale, pull in your navel and hold it for 30 seconds. Work your way up to 60 seconds as you get better at this exercise. Also, use unstable surfaces like a swiss ball to make this exercise harder.
Functional Vacuum
This is when you become a pro at hitting the vacuum pose. You’ll be so good you could perform it at any time, anywhere. Functional vacuum is the real life variation of this exercise.
You could be performing the vacuum pose in a subway, on your office desk or anywhere else without the people beside you knowing it. As you get better at the vacuum poses, you’ll be able to hold them for long durations.
This can result in a tighter, narrower and firmer midsection. Once you’re at this stage, you’ll find yourself vacuuming throughout the day. You won’t have to wait for long before your waist size drops.
Which ab tightening technique works the best for you? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
Vitaliy ‘Good Vito’ Ugolnikov Makes Switch Over To NPC
Good Vito will have a chance to compete in an NPC competition moving forward.
Vitaliy Ugolnikov, better known as Good Vito, has built quite a following and fanbase on social media. He has posted many physique updates to show off progress and he will not have a chance to show it off at a different level.
Good Vito has been competing in the IFBB Pro Elite Circuit and fans were wondering when he was going to work his way up. That seems to be happening as Ugolnikov is making the switch to NPC. This could allow Good Vito to eventually earn his pro card and move up to IFBB competition.
This is a decision that has been in the works for about a year now. Good Vito wanted to win a major international tournament, such as a European or World Championship. Now, he will have the chance to matchup against some competition at a higher level to see whee he stacks up. According to some physique updates, Ugolnikov should hold his own and then some.
At the beginning of November, Good Vito shared a picture and an achievement of winning another championship in Russia.
“3x Time Champion of Russia! So what?! Time for a bigger land?”
Good Vito is a 24-year-old bodybuilder who has made some serious progress in recent years. This has been done on social media and on stage. The time has come for Ugolnikov to join NPC competition and it can only go up from here. He certainly has built a physique that can compete at the highest level and he will have a chance to do so.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided. Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports.
5 Tips for Finding Yourself a Workout Partner
How to Find a Good Workout Partner
If you train alone, you are leaving a lot of gains on the table. People who hit the gym with a training partner would agree a workout partner can help you take your workouts to a new level.
A good training partner can be the constant source of support (both mental and physical) and motivation you need. Finding the right training partner is easier said than done. You want a training partner who adds to your workouts and not someone who eats away your time and focus by chatting throughout your time in the gym.
Look for Someone More Advanced
You need a training partner who will push you to your limits in the gym, so it’s better to look for someone who has more experience as compared to you. A partner who is on an advanced level can teach you about the sport and help you reach your goals more efficiently.
A training partner who is on an advanced stage will probably be using advanced training techniques to make his workouts more intense. It’ll be in your best interest to piggyback on your partner’s knowledge and experience. One of you will get the better part of the deal, so it better be you.
Discipline is the Key
You’ll need army-like discipline if you want to succeed at bodybuilding. Look for people who are at the gym at the same time every day. Obviously, you too will need to be regular to the gym to take note.
Discipline doesn’t end at showing up at the gym. Your training partner should be disciplined in his workouts. You don’t want to workout with someone who would leave an exercise in the middle to go and talk to someone, miss a workout for dinner with friends, or skip the gym because the day was too long.
Your Partner Doesn’t Necessarily Need to Workout with You
It is okay if you can’t find the right workout partner in your gym. Don’t make the mistake of settling for someone who will deteriorate the quality of your workouts. You can look for someone on virtual platforms who shares the same passion for fitness as you.
These types of workout partners are great for accountability. If you have a friend who is a fitness freak, you can keep each other accountable by sharing your goals, workouts, pictures, and nutrition.
Stay Clear of Gym Bros
If you’re a beginner, you should stay away from gym bros. Gym bros love to impress the rookies with their knowledge. The only caveat being, there is a high probability the bros have no idea what they’re talking about.
If you’re a beginner, you would want to train with someone who is fitter than you, but don’t punch above your weight class. When you join a gym don’t try to train with an athlete who is getting ready to step on stage for a show.
On the other hand, if you’re an advanced athlete and can’t find someone who can teach you stuff, take someone who shows the burning desire to transform his physique under your wing.
Be Ready to Part Ways
After you find a workout partner, it isn’t necessary things will go out as you would have wanted. Problems like not being accountable to each other, the workout style and goals, indiscipline can spoil your relationship and workouts.
If you train with someone and he misses a workout, it could negatively affect your workout. If any of the problems creep up, it’s better to call it quits and go back to training alone or look for someone new. Sounds a lot like dating, right?
Do you train with a partner? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Kayla Rowling Praises Natural Bodybuilding for Balancing Yin and Yang
Kayla Rowling thanks natural bodybuilding for balancing masculine and feminine energy.
If you were tuned in to 2021 Natural Olympia this past November, you might remember the stunning Kayla Rowling. She was the champion of the Bikini Divas Open division and back-to-back winner. In the Bikini Divas class, contestants are judged on their presentation, individuality, and sex appeal. So not only do you need to be toned and look good, but you have to present yourself in a way that’s alluring to the judges.
Kayla Rowling believes balancing and cultivating her masculine, and feminine energies played a role in her success. And she credits natural bodybuilding for helping her find this equilibrium. On an Instagram (IG) post posted on November 23, 2021, Rowling said:
“Lifting weights is very masculine and I need it, but bodybuilding gives you the best of both worlds. Once you understand the right amounts you need of both you are completely balanced and you feel whole.”
Here’s the IG post below where Kayla Rolwing goes into detail on how you can increase your feminine energy:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWoVn8aPVQO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Kayla Rowling is proof of how powerful these energies are for success. In 2019, Rowling placed 15th at Natural Olympia yet was able to earn a champion medal within two years. On IG, she voiced, “Everyone wants to avoid pain and seek out pleasure. I do the opposite!”
Masculine and Feminine Energy
According to Chinese philosophy, Yin is your feminine energy, and Yang is your masculine energy. Masculine energy represents fire, and feminine energy represents water. Power and fierce come to mind when you think of fire. Whereas with water, you muse therapeutic and healing. In a sense, both of these are analogically linked to your traits. The masculine side symbolizes strength, purpose, competitiveness, and decisiveness. Feminine energy denotes intuitiveness, empathy, and passion.
Both are important for you to feel happy and fulfilled. And letting one get out of whack can wreak havoc on all areas of your life – health, relationships, and career. With too much masculine energy, it leads to anger and ego. In contrast, an overflow of feminine energy can make you frail. A fluid dance between the two is the key to balancing these powerful energies.
On IG, Rowling stated:
“When you are in your feminine energy, you have a strong connection to your body and your intuition, and you make decisions based on what you feel in your heart. It’s what you tap into when you are being creative and inspired. It loves beauty, is fluid, empathetic, passionate, and flows from moment to moment like the waters of a river.
Masculine is all about taking action; loves to build (weight lifting) and loves to fix things. Masculine energies are strong, decisive, competitive, likes to win and break through barriers. Its energy is logical and rational.”
Final Word
Balancing your masculine and feminine energy is being harmonious to help you achieve your dreams. Fortunately, weightlifting is a great way to stabilize your Yin and Yang for all the fellow lifting brothers and sisters. So if there’s any other excuse you need to bang metal and plates around, honing your energy is a force to be reckoned with.
Generation Iron would like to congratulate Kayla Rowling for her success at 2021 Natural Olympia. And the positive energy she spreads to others.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to stay updated with your favorite natural bodybuilders!
The Muscle Doc Jordan Shallow On The Stigma And Vast Misconceptions Of Chiropractors
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Jordan Shallow, aka The Muscle Doc, breaks down the realities behind chiropractors and their place for bodybuilders.
Dr. Jordan Shallow is probably best known in media as The Muscle Doc. He’s a Chiropractor, Strength and Conditioning Coach, and hosts the RX’D RADIO podcast. He’s a vastly knowledgable person when it comes to fitness, bodybuilding, and strength sports. Which is why we connected with him to discuss a wide range of topics. In our latest GI Exclusive, Jordan Shallow debunks myths about chiropractors and evaluates their relationship with pro bodybuilding.
The world seems to have a love/hate relationship with Chiropractors. Some people believe they are a total scam, while others swear by them. And even those in the middle seem to be disappointed if a chiropractor can’t accomplish the healing that a patient is looking for. Dr. Jordan Shallow is a chiropractor himself – and spent some time during our GI Exclusive interview detailing the realities behind the profession. He also explains why the public has such a complicated relationship to it.
During our discussion about Chiropractors, Jordan Shallow was hesitant to give any blanket advice. The reason for this, is that every patient’s body is different. There is no general rule of how, when, or why to use a chiropractor. In fact, he wouldn’t want to trust any chiropractor that did provide black and white general advice.
This is because chiropractors are a form of manual therapy vs traditional medicine. Traditional medicine is often consistent. You know what you will get when you go to a typical doctor’s visit. But a chiropractor visit can be vastly different depending on who is your doctor and what your specific needs are.
“Say what you want about conventional medicine – I know what I’m going to get when I got to a doctor’s office,” Jordan Shallow states in our interview. He continues:
“For better or worse, at least it’s consistent. Which I think is one thing people are always hesitant with when approaching manual therapies of any kind. Is the relative inconsistency, especially at the level of chiropractor, of wha the treatment is going to look like.”
Jordan Shallow points out that the consistency of a traditional doctor can be a blessing and a curse. It means both successes and failures for your ailment will be relatively consistent. Whereas manual therapies like a chiropractor can open your options and provide relief where a traditional doctor might otherwise not be able to.
That being said, there is such a wide variety of approaches a chiropractor can take – which can lead to trial and error for a patient’s experience. This can often lead to frustration for the patient. On top of this, there are pop culture references that often depict chiropractors a certain way – which might flavor the opinion of a potential patient before ever even visiting a chiropractor.
On top of this, the advent of social media has also allowed for viral videos to mislead people on chiropractors as well. Jordan Shallow mentions Tik Tok chiropractors that “Jean Claude Van Damme people’s heads off” that are more stunt than they are realistic therapies that should be used in a professional environment.
So where do chiropractors come in for bodybuilding? We’ve seen across many pro bodybuilders’ socials and also many time in our very own films that top pros often go to chiropractors. Jordan Shallow had some words on that as well. Most specifically the instrument assist soft tissue mobilization (aka the metal bar you see make pro bodybuilders scream like babies).
Jordan Shallow thinks this is a case where it’s become over-popular. That many bodybuilders believe that it’s breaking up scar tissue – which in Shallow’s opinion is impossible. If it were breaking up scar tissue, the pressure needed would also break the person’s bones. So what he’s seeing here with this popular chiropractic tactic is that a little of this bar probably helps somehow on a neurological or vascular level.
The reason it has become so popular seems to be tied into something called “dose dependent relationships.” It’s a concept that Jordan Shallow believes bodybuilders are predisposed to getting tied up into. He explains in our interview –
“Bodybuilders get tied into what’s called a dose dependent relationship. If some is good, more is better. And we’ve seen this play out to the detriment over the last six months it seems but we all fall victim to it man. When I first started training I was like, ‘Wait creatine can make me bigger? So if 20 grams is good, 40 grams must be better – you’re an idiot.”
Jordan Shallow doesn’t see this as a problem unless it gets out of hand. In fact, as is mentioned in the quote above, he thinks it’s a part of what everyone goes through as they learn more about strength and fitness.
So it would see that chiropractors, like most things, is far more complicated than can be explained in pop culture or in broad media profiling. Ultimately, it depends on each individual to decide what is right for them. And as with any medical profession – doing your own personal due diligence to ensure the person you are working with is an actual professional.
You can watch Jordan Shallow’s full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above. And make sure to stick around in the coming weeks for more excerpts from our in-depth conversation with The Muscle Doc!
Breon Ansley Speaks On Oxygen Gym: ‘My Personal Experience Was Incredible’
Breon Ansley had positive things to say about his experience at Oxygen Gym in Kuwait.
It seems as though opinions on Oxygen Gym in Kuwait will vary depending on which athlete you ask. The gym has received criticism from some who have trained there because of its intense nature. This is an establishment that is known for rushing the limits. This training style is not right for everyone but it is hard to argue with some of the results.
Oxygen Gym, which is owned by Bader Budai, has produced some elite competitors in the sport of bodybuilding. Recently, two-time Olympia Classic Physique champion Breon Ansley sang the praises of the gym. In a recent interview, Ansley described his experiences, which he described as “positive.”
“I would say my experience, my personal experience was incredible. I had the utmost support from Bader. I had Chris out there. You know, all of the guys. You know that trained in the gym. All of the competitors and just regular gym-goers, they were all great and all supportive. Yeah, everything was great. Everything was absolutely wonderful.”
There have been plenty of contrary statements made about the gym. Regan Grimes recently spoke about his experiences in Kuwait. He explained how he gained 40 pounds in a short amount of time and the trainers were not thrilled about him going home. Grimes admitted that the style of training works but he was not for him. Also, reigning two-time Olympia champion Big Ramy left the gym back in 2018 after exercise regiments and increased supplements kept getting pushed harder and harder.
On the other end is Brandon Curry. The former Olympia champ and two-time runner-up still trains at Oxygen Gym. Breon Ansley explained how he used to room with Curry in Kuwait and how the presence of other bodybuilders adds to the overall energy.
“Yeah and the energy with Rolly in there and Ramy at the time, Ahmad was in there training. Ahmad Axomoni, yeah and Brandon, and shit, I was roommates with Brandon. We stayed together so that was really cool. So yeah nothing but great things for me to say about the experience there in Kuwait at the Oxygen Gym. My ears haven’t been on the streets to what’s going on, so I don’t know what happened.”
Breon Ansley continues to train hard at age 42. He continues to be one of the top competitors in Classic Physique. Ansley is a two-time champion and has three consecutive top-three finishes, including back-to-back bronze medals.
The 2021 Olympia saw many young competitors stop up and finish in the top five. Ansley does not feel like his age is a disadvantage. In fact, quit the opposite.
““Oh, I feel it’s an advantage. Because it’s just as well, we were talking about, the maturity. The quality of the muscle, you know. I feel now that, even with, even with certain little nagging stuff I have, when I am close to 100% my strength, my strength stride is the highest that it’s ever been.”
The overall confidence and mindset of Breon Ansley is a key factor in remaining near the top. Of course, this does along with an elite physique. Despite some recent heat that Oxygen Gym has been under, Ansley remains an advocate of the gym.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Calf Training Secret No Pro Wants You To Know
Calf Training of The Pros
Calves are one of the smallest, most stubborn, and desired muscle groups. Since you’re reading this article, we’ll assume you’re lacking in the calf department and are willing to change your current situation.
If you’ve been laboring away on the calf exercises but don’t have any results to show for it, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll share a calf training secret with you which will take your calf gains to a whole new level.
The Mistakes
Before we let you in on the secret, we want to go over the mistakes most people make in their calf training. Once you know what is holding you back from achieving your goals, you can get better results by fixing your shortcomings.
Training At The End of A Leg Workout
Without going too deep into the mistakes, we’ll just touch on them and tell you how to overcome them. If you have lagging calves, you should never train them after a brutal leg workout when you have no gas left in the tank. For best results, work your calves when you aren’t fatigued.
No Volume
Most people make the mistake of following a vanilla calf training program where they perform 3 sets of 10-12 reps on a couple of exercises. If you want to turn your calves into bulls, you need to be training them like you train all your other major muscle groups. Perform at least five exercises and switch up the intensity often to keep your muscles guessing.
Lack of Variations
While people are proactive in their bicep training – they work their inner, outer, and medial bicep heads – they don’t follow the same approach when it comes to calf training. You should be targetting your calves from three angles to train them effectively.
Perform your calf exercises with your feet planted parallel to target the medial calf heads. Placing your toes together and heels apart – forming an “A” – will target the outer calf heads and keeping your heels together and toes apart – forming a “V” – will work the inner heads.
The Secret That Will Change Your Calf Training Forever
Your calves are made up of both slow and fast-twitch muscle fibers. Performing exercises with long TuT (time under tension) works the slow-twitch fibers and lifts with smaller TuT train the fast-twitch muscles.
So, the dilemma with calf training is that no matter which kind of intensity (high or low number of repetitions) you go for, you’re not going to get the best results. There is a way around the problem and it has been a well-kept secret until now.
Forget Reps, Focus on Time – 1 Minute Is The Magic Mark
To make the most of your calf training, you should focus on performing the exercises for one minute. It doesn’t matter how many reps you do in that one minute but you need to make sure you’re not taking a rest-pause during the set.
You also cannot go light with the weight on the bar because if you do, the slow-twitch muscle fibers will be left out of the action. Remember – this is not a drop-set. You have to end with the same weight you’ll be starting with. If done right, calf training isn’t easy, and you’ll experience it first hand with this technique.
How often do you train your calves? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
Natural Bodybuilder Suffers After Foregoing Rest and Recovery
Dan Sutcliffe learns the importance of rest and recovery the hard way.
Earlier this year (2021), Dan Sutcliffe – a natural bodybuilder – made his country – Romania – proud after walking away World Champion at International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA) World Championships. That was a competition in the late months of October 2021, but it wasn’t until just recently – early December 2021 – that Sutcliffe opened up about what happened the events after winning gold. On Instagram (IG), here’s what Sutcliffe had to say below:
“In the first couple of weeks post Worlds I didn’t give my body an opportunity to rest/recover. This may have contributed to the problems I’ve experienced over the last few weeks.
I recently came down with a pretty nasty stomach virus which lasted 10 days and meant I completely lost my appetite (I know right ) and training became impossible. This is very unusual for me. A coincidence considering the timing? Probably not.”
You can view his complete statement below:
Dan Sutcliffe plans to use the off-season of 2021-2022 to implement a better balance of rest and recovery. But, he stated, “A little reminder that more does not always mean better!”
Drug Testing
Sutcliffe prides the natural bodybuilding competitions he competes in. Because they require a urine analysis test and polygraph lie detector test to ensure the athletes aren’t doping. Other bodybuilding leagues don’t advocate drug use, but they don’t have a system in place to prevent it. For example, the INBA/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) requires all athletes to undergo top-of-the-notch drug testing via World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Click the link to learn what that all entails.
Importance of Rest and Recovery
As a natural bodybuilder, it’s even more important to make sure to get plenty of rest and recovery. That’s because drugs like steroids allow your body to handle more volume and loads than you would be capable of lifting without performance-enhancing drugs.
Bodybuilders and gym-goers alike often forget how important – and for newbie gym-goers, unaware – rest and recovery are for progress. Of course, to compete with the top competition, you’ll have to put in the work and do enough volume and intensity to maximize muscle growth. However, muscle growth takes place while you’re resting. Therefore, weightlifters must have some deload weeks and take some days off to allow their body adequate rest and recovery.
Dan Sutcliffe has been competing since 2018, although he’s been lifting for about ten years and comes from a sports science background – sports science grad, personal trainer, and performance nutritionist specialist. Immediately after starting competing, he was able to win a British world title and place in the top three of a world final. Sutcliffe plans to spend some time with his family and friends, then work to earn pro status in the upcoming years.
Whether you’re a bodybuilder or average gym-bro, don’t omit rest and recovery. Rest and recovery are essential for making progress and preventing injuries and illness.
Generation Iron wishes nothing but the best for Dan Sutcliffe. We hope to see you more in the future!
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Flex Lewis Shares Massive Chest Day Workout
Former 212 Olympia champion Flex Lewis recently shared a huge workout for chest day.
Flex Lewis is one of the best bodybuilders in the history of the 212 division. He has taken some time away from competition but still destroys the gym on a regular basis. Recently, Lewis shared a massive chest workout to his YouTube page.
Lewis let viewers into a chest day of his. The amount of work that has been put in recently shows that the bodybuilder could be close to returning to competition. There have been talks of special things coming in 2022 for Lewis. This is especially true since he is reunited with coach Neil Hill. This is something that fans have been waiting for since Lewis last competed in the 2018 Olympia.
Lewis captured seven consecutive Olympia 212 titles from 2012-2018. The 2018 competition was the last time he competed before stepping away due to personal matters and different injuries. With 2021 coming to an end, Lewis should be back on stage soon and has been training hard.
This particular chest workout from Lewis is one that did not feature many exercises but plenty of reps. He went to work in his Dragon’s Lair Gym, along with Dom Cardone. Below, you can find the full list of workouts along with the rep count that Lewis completed for each one.
Standing Cable Chest Fly
Lewis began his chest workout with an exercise that stretches muscles and helps reach a full range of motion. This loosens up chest muscles and maximizes potential to build muscle. Lewis completed 22 reps of this exercise as a warmup before getting into heavier weight.
Seated Strength Machine Chest Press
The chest press machine helps target many upper body muscles and this is a reason it is one of the best exercises to work on chest day. Chest press hits pectoral muscles hard but also shoulders and triceps in the process. Lewis continued his workout by competing 21 reps on this machine.
Dumbbell Press
Lewis then went onto dumbbell press. He grabbed two 60-pound dumbbells and went over the the flat bench. He completed 16 reps while laying down followed by nine on the next set. The dumbbell press boosts overall strength. This is works the same muscles as the chest press machine but is a different variation. The dumbbell press requires a bit more control than a regular bench press.
Seated Machine Chest Press
The final exercise in Lewis’ workout is the seated machine chest press. He completes 27 reps on the machine. Lewis increased the number of sets throughout the workout. This specific exercise helps avoid errors in form and allows the lifter to keep control throughout the motion.
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